Random selected switch actuator device



Nov. 3 1970 LR, ALEXANDER ET'AL I A 3,538,284

RANDOM SELECTED SWITCH ACTUATOR DEVICE Filed July 25, 1968 Inn "-h w lll|lllllllllllllllllllllllllll g5 LEW/5 R. ALEXANDER /$4DORE GORTMA/V BYowl 8 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,538,284 RANDOM SELECTED SWITCHACTUATOR DEVICE Lewis R. Alexander, Streamwood, and Isadore Gortman,

Morton Grove, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments to the United Statesof America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed July 25,1968, Ser. No. 747,516 Int. Cl. H01h 3/42 US. Cl. 200153 1 ClaimABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A switch actuating device having a pluralityof actuating fingers slidably movable in a rotatable drum, each saidfinger having first and second undercuts on the periphery thereof, and aplurality of locking rings in said rotatable drum for engaging saidundercuts whereby each said finger can be selectively positioned ineither an extended or a retracted position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to anactuating device for Operating a plurality of switches which can be usedfor coding, programming, and the like.

Heretofore, various devices have been used in the form of disk, movabledrums, and the like, with physical indicia thereon for cooperation witha group of switches for programming various cycles of an operation. Onesuch device is shown in US. Pat. 3,307,382, entitled, DigitallyControlled Random Access Means, which issued Mar. 7, 1967, to George G.Hacker and John G. Luker. In this patent, both a disk and a drum areshown, each having a plurality of holes therein in which is attached apip for actuating a switch upon rotating of the disk or drum. Each pipis permanently attached in a hole and is not, however, readilychangeable or removable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a switchactuating device having a memory drum which is rotatably mounted. Aplurality of longitudinal rows of actuating fingers are slidablypositioned in the outer periphery of the memory drum and each finger isprovided with first and second V-slots in the outer periphery. A singlecoil spring is provided for each finger and this spring is engageablewith either of the two V-slots to lock each finger in either an extendedor retracted position. A cam follower, which is positioned to actuate aswitch, is mounted such that a retracted finger will not engage the camfollower, but an extended finger will engage the cam follower to actuatea switch. Each actuating finger can be readily changed from either anextended to a retracted position, or from a retracted to an extendedposition, as desired.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide aswitch actuator device which can be readily programmed for variousconditions.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyappreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an end view of a preferredembodiment of the present invention, partially broken away to show partsin section;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing;and

Patented Nov. 3, 1970 FIG. 3 is a side view showing another embodimentof an actuating finger.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing,there is shown a drum 11 which is rotatably mounted on shaft 12. Shaft12 is rotatably driven by gear train 13 from any suitable power source(not shown) such as an electric motor. A plurality of rows of actuatingfingers 14 are slidably attached to drum 11 and, for purposes ofillustration, three rows of fingers are shown with 20 fingers being ineach row. It should be understood, of course, that a greater or lessernumber of rows and also a greater or lesser number of fingers in eachrow could be provided without departing from the scope of the invention.

As best shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, each finger 14 is provided withan outer V-shaped groove 15 around its circumference and also an innerV-shaped groove 16. A single coil spring #17 is provided for each finger14, and coil spring 17 is provided in a slot 1 8 in drum 11. The widthof slots 18 are such that springs 17 can be expanded when fingers 14 aremoved in a direction such that the springs are no longer seated in aV-shaped groove.'By way of example, drum 111 might be assembled from aninner cylinder 21 and an outer cylinder 22, with slots 18 beingmachined, or otherwise formed, in inner cylinder 21. Outer cylinder 22,which has a plurality of holes of sutficient diameter to permit fingers14 to slide therethrough, serves as a cover or cap to retain springs 17in their respective slots 18.

Fingers 14, when extended, are engageable with a cam plate 23 which, inturn, is engageable with the plunger 24 of a switch 25. On the otherhand, when fingers 14 are retracted, fingers 14 will pass beneath camplate 23 and switch 25 will not be actuated.

In FIG. 3 of the drawing, there is shown another embodiment of a finger14 having an additional circumferential groove 26. As springs 17 providesubstantial locking force on fingers 14 when the springs 17 are seatedin the V-shaped grooves, groove 26 is provided so that a suitable toolcan engage groove 26 to facilitate movement of fingers 14, particularlywhen changing from a retracted to an extended position.

In operation, assuming a finger 14 is in a retracted position, spring 17would be seated in V-groove 1'5 and, when drum 11 is rotated, theretracted finger will pass beneath cam plate 23. Assuming now that it isdesired to change a finger 14 from a retracted position to an extendedposition, finger :14 is pulled outwardly, as by engaging a pulling toolin groove 26. As finger 14 moves outwardly, spring 17 is forced out ofV-groove 15 and is expanded. When V-groove 16 reaches spring 17, spring17 snaps into V-groove 16 to lock finger I14 in an extended position.Any finger 14 in an extended position will, when it moves against camplate 23, cause cam plate 23 to move and, in turn switch 25 is actuated.

It can thus be seen that the present invention provides a relativelyinexpensive actuating device which can be utilized for coding, cycling,and the like, and that the coding or programming can be readily changed.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood, that within the scope of the appended claim, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

We claim:

1. An actuator device for a plurality of switches having cam means foractuating the plungers of said switches comprising:

a cylindrical drum rotatably mounted in juxtaposition to said cam means,said cylindrical drum having tion or an extended position for engagingsaid cam an outer cylinder with a plurality of bores and an means.

inner cylinder with a plurality of bores equal in References Citednumber to the number of bores in said outer cylinder UNITED STATESPATENTS with each said bore in said inner cylinder having a counterboreat its outer end, said inner and outer cylinders being arranged so thatsaid bores are in alingment to provide a plurality of apertures eachhaving a circumferential slot therein, FOREIGN PATENTS a plurality ofactuating fingers slidably mounted one 10 1,154,866 4/ 1958 France-1,968,499 7/1934 Mills. 2,669,615 2/1954 Cox.

each in each said aperture, each said actuating finger 1,072,690 1/1960y having first and second V-shaped grooves around the 304,614 /1958 reatBl'ltaln. circumference thereof, and a third circumferential 1,142,0241/1963 ygroove for engagement with a pulling tool, and

a plurality of spring locking rings positioned one each 15 ROBERTSCHAEFER Pnmary Examiner in each said circumferential slot, said springlocking R, A, VANDERHYE, A i t E i rngs being engageable With said firstand second V- shaped grooves whereby each said actuating finger U.S.Cl.X.R. can be selectively locked in either a retracted posi- 200-38

